The Gospel of Jesus Christ – Why Be a Christian?

In Gear with the Minister:

Dr. Eugene Lawton

Does it pay to be a Christian? What advantage is it? Maybe these are questions which have flashed through your mind if you are not a Christian. By being a Christian, I mean a Christian in fact and a Christian only. I do not mean being a member of some denomination that was started by some man and that wears human names and subscribes to a human creed. Acts 11:25 informs us that the members in the first century were called CHRISTIANS and that is all. Why should I be a Christian?

TO BE SAVED: No one can be saved without being a Christian. The Christian life is a changed life. It is a new life. It means to be saved from the love, practice and guilt of sin. Acts 2:47 tells us that God adds all the saved persons to the church.

TO ENJOY ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS: All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Eph. 1:3). One must be in Christ before he can enjoy them. One gets into Christ by faith and baptism. (Gal. 3:26, 27) Then he can truly pray, OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN. God does not hear the prayers of alien sinners; a person must be a faithful Christian in order to get a prayer through to God. (Read John 9:31, I Peter 3:12)

TO ENJOY GENUINE HAPPINESS: No one can be genuinely happy without hope; and no one can have a true hope unless he is a Christian. The pleasures of this life last but for a season and they do not give real happiness. Alcohol might cause you to forget your troubles temporarily, but there is a hangover. LSD might give you a kick and unique thrills, but your life may never be normal again. Solomon, in his extended search for happiness tried pleasure, wealth, wisdom, but he said it is all VANITY AND VEXATION OF SPIRIT. In conclusion, he says, ‘Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.’ (Ecc. 12:13,14) Jesus wants us to be Christians. His disciples were called CHRISTIANS first in Antioch. (Acts 11:26)

Dr. Eugene Lawton is an international evangelist, a defender of the faith, a veteran preacher, a radio and television evangelist, a successful writer of four books and a great church builder. He has been minister of the Newark Church of Christ, Newark, New Jersey for forty-five years. Contact: Newark Church of Christ, 894 S. 14th St. Newark, NJ 07108. Tele: (973) 374-4563.